gengsi

Indonesian

Etymology

From Minangkabau [Term?]. Coined by Indonesian author Rosihan Anwar in 1949.

Noun

gengsi (plural gengsi-gengsi)

1. (rare) Relatives; member of one's kin
   1. (rare, by extension) Lineage, progeny; descent in a line from a common progenitor.
2. Honor, dignity
   1. (by extension) Prestige; something that invokes admiration or respect.

Adjective

gengsi

1. Prideful; referring to a reluctance or inhibition to do something, due to one's own conceit or to protect one's dignity.

   Ada orang yang gengsi ketika disuruh meminta maaf terlebih dahulu.

   There are those who are prideful when asked to apologize first.

Further reading

• “gengsi” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.